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Belgium, Germany and Switzerland Join Party

Belgium, Germany and Switzerland
became the latest nations to book their place at the 2014 FIFA World
Cup Brazil™ on Friday, securing top spot in their respective groups with
one qualifying fixture left to play. Also likely to join the trio next
week are Russia and Spain, barring a huge shock in their final matches.

With Italy and the Netherlands
having already qualified from the European Zone, the four remaining
automatic places will be determined on Tuesday 15 October. Four more
slots will subsequently be allocated to the winners of play-offs between
the eight second-placed sides with the best records.

At
half-time this match looked like it could still go either way, despite
the English having dominated possession and accumulated several corners.

Having failed to seriously test the Montenegrin rearguard in the first period, Wayne Rooney
again came to the rescue in the second, knocking in a rebound – his
sixth goal of the Three Lions’ qualifying campaign – after Daniel
Sturridge’s effort had been parried by visiting goalkeeper Vukasin
Poleksic.

England found themselves in the driving seat on the hour mark, when Montenegro
defender Branko Boskovic inadvertently turned a harmless cross into his
own net. But a lack of concentration in the English defence saw Dejan
Damjanovic, who deftly deflected a wayward Fatos Beciraj shot past Joe
Hart, bring the Balkan side back into the match.

The
home team would eventually seal the points in the 77th minute, however,
international debutant Andros Townsend firing home a long-range
right-footed shot in off the post. Daniel Sturridge put the icing on the
cake from the spot in stoppage time.

Demonstrating composure, opportunism and no little talent, Belgium
qualified for the World Cup on Friday evening for the 12th time, and
for the first time in 12 years. Marc Wilmots’ men took the lead in 38
minutes through the outstanding Romelu Lukaku,
who was played through by Steven Defour. The powerful 20-year-old’s
second came from a speedy counter-attack led by Marouane Fellaini.

Despite a strong push from Croatia
in the second half, which culminated in a fine goal from Nico Kranjcar,
the Belgians’ superior technique proved crucial to picking up their
eighth win of the campaign. The Croatians, who still have to take on a
rejuvenated Scotland, are nevertheless almost certain of advancing to
the play-off round.

By claiming victory over nine-man Bulgaria three minutes from time through a Yura Movsisyan strike, Armenia brought themselves right back into contention for second place, in a group where four teams are separated by one point.

The Czech Republic, who disposed of Malta 4-1, and a Nicklas Bendtner-inspired Denmark, who were held at home by an understrength Italy XI, can still entertain hopes of making the play-offs.

There was no surprise in Cologne, where Germany
saw off Ireland to guarantee their qualification for Brazil 2014. Sami
Khedira, Andre Schurrle and Mesut Ozil got the goals, with Toni Kroos
providing two assists.

Elsewhere, Austria made Sweden sweat in Solna, scoring a first-half opener via Stuttgart’s Martin Harnik, before succumbing to the skills of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the second period.

First,
his delightful cross enabled Martin Olsson to equalise with a diving
header. And then, four minutes from the final whistle, the PSG forward
ran on to Kim Kallstrom’s long ball and finished with aplomb, ensuring Sweden’s presence in the play-offs.

The
two teams, who lie nine points off the pace set by the Dutch, now find
themselves neck-and-neck with one game to play. The Romanians, who host Estonia, will be favourites to clinch the play-off place, given that the Turks must beat the Oranje in Istanbulto be in with a chance.

Switzerland just needed a point, but they ended up pocketing all three in Albania to book their slot at FIFA’s flagship event. Xherdan Shaqiri and Michael Lang did the damage for the Helvetians.

In the section’s other matches, Slovenia effectively eliminated Norway
courtesy of a Milivoje Novakovic hat-trick. The Scandinavians could
still fulfil the role of kingmakers, as they welcome a revelatory Iceland to Oslo, while Slovenia, who are a point behind in third, will likely need to pick up a win in Switzerland.

Portugal, who appeared to be heading towards a closely contested home win over Israel,
cracked five minutes from the end to virtually throw away their chances
of automatic qualification. Cristiano Ronaldo and Co went ahead after
half an hour, Ricardo Costa getting on the end of Pepe’s clever ball.

But,
as the encounter wore on, the Israelis began to see more of the ball,
and eventually levelled through Eden Ben Basat , who was gifted the ball
by Portuguese ’keeper Rui Patricio.

As the Russians did what was expected of them in Luxembourg, a draw in Azerbaijan on Tuesday will be sufficient for Fabio Capello’s charges to begin arranging their travel plans.

The fearsome Bosnian attack showed its teeth again versus Liechtenstein, with Edin Dzeko,
who bagged a brace, in particularly clinical form. But in order to
secure a maiden World Cup qualification, Safet Susic’s players will need
to scoop three points in Lithuania next week.

The reason? Greece’s triumph at home to Slovakia, which keeps them level on points with the Bosnians. A Martin Skrtel own goal decided the contest, after Slovakian No1 Jan Mucha let the ball slip under his foot.

Deprived of numerous starters through injury, world champions Spain ground out three points against Belarus,
captain Xavi and on-song Alvaro Negredo grabbing the goals. Boasting a
three-point lead and a superior goal difference, it would take a
turnaround of cataclysmic proportions for La Roja not to qualify automatically.

The player Lauded as the next big thing for some time now, the imposing figure of Romelu Lukaku
once again showed what he is capable of in Zagreb, scoring a clinical
brace and exhibiting pace and power throughout, especially when chasing
down his second goal.

The young Belgian,
who already has 23 caps to his name, was loaned out to Everton from
Chelsea at the start of the season, and has scored four goals in four
games so far for the Toffees.

The goal Albania 0-1 Switzerland (Xherdan Shaqiri 48)The Bayern Munich midfielder, demonstrating a cool head, controlled
the ball just inside the area, prior to slotting it past Etrit Berisha
in the Albanian goal. His strike set the tone for the Swiss, who went on
to qualify courtesy of a 2-1 success.

The stat
18 – The number of times that Germany has now qualified for the final stages of a World Cup, an achievement that draws them level with Italy. It is Brazil who hold the record, advancing to the finals via a qualifying phase on a remarkable 20 occasions.

In addition, Germany’s defeat of the Irish sees them extend their unbeaten run in qualifying to 22 matches. The last team to beat them was England (5-1) in September 2001.